Overdue in Invoice Maker
Found on this device. Pick one to fill in the amount still unpaid, due date, client, invoice number, your name, how to pay, and the late fee and monthly rate printed on that invoice. Nothing leaves the page.
1. The invoice
2. Late fee and interest
Only charge what the client agreed to in advance. Pick how interest is worked out; it is simple (not compounding) interest from the due date.
Pick a state to see a reference rate. Rates shown are legal (default) rates as of 2026-09-29 for states with one fixed figure; states whose rate floats are left for you to type. Verify with your state statute before you rely on any of them.
3. Your letters
Days after the due date for each step (editable):
4. Is it worth suing? Your assumptions
Defaults are placeholders, not facts. Small-claims limits and filing fees differ by state and court: look yours up and type them.
Enter the invoice amount and due date, then click Build my plan.
Your plan
Balance by date
| Date | Days late | Interest | Late fee | Total owed |
|---|
Escalation schedule and letters
Is it worth suing?
The model, and what it leaves out
- Interest: simple interest, rate times balance times days over 365, from the due date, only after any grace period. A monthly contract rate is treated as twelve times that per year. The flat fee is charged once.
- Reference rates: the state list holds the legal (default) annual rate for states where it is a single fixed figure, as of 2026-09-29, with the statute. Judgment interest can differ, rates change, and floating-rate states are left for you to type. Verify with your state statute.
- Letters: plain templates filled with your figures. They do not assert facts you did not give and leave out threats of anything but a small-claims claim or referral. Consumer clients get softer wording; you are still responsible for what you send.
- Break-even: expected net = (claim, capped at the limit, plus filing and service costs you would ask back) x chance of winning x chance of collecting, minus filing, service and the value of your time. The odds and the agency terms are your assumptions, not data.
- Not modelled: caps on late fees and interest, notice requirements, licensing rules for collectors, attorney fees, court-specific rules and deadlines, statutes of limitations, disputes over the work, and bankruptcy.
Common questions
How much late fee or interest can I charge on an overdue invoice?
Only what the client agreed to before the work, in a contract, quote or invoice terms, and within your state's limits. If nothing was agreed, most states still allow interest at a statutory rate from the due date; some states fix that rate and some tie it to a benchmark. The tool computes simple interest at a contract rate you type or at a state rate you can check, and shows the balance today and on later dates. Verify the rate with your state statute.
What should a late invoice reminder say?
Name the invoice, the amount and the original due date, state how many days it is past due, ask for a payment date or the reason for a dispute, and say how to pay. The first message should be friendly; later ones set a specific pay-by date. The tool writes all four messages with your numbers filled in and ready to copy.
When should I send a final demand letter?
A common rhythm is a reminder a few days after the due date, a firm notice around two weeks, and a final demand around thirty days, giving ten days to pay before you file or refer the account. The day offsets are editable, and each step lands on a calendar date you can download as reminders.
Is it worth taking a client to small claims court?
It depends on the balance against your filing fee, service cost and time, and on your chance of winning and of actually collecting. The tool estimates expected net and the break-even claim from fee, time and odds you can change, and compares it with a collections agency that keeps a share. Filing fees and small-claims limits vary by court, so both are fields you set.
Does this tool give legal advice or send anything?
No. It does arithmetic and fills templates in your browser. Nothing is sent or stored on a server, and it is not legal advice. Interest, late fees and collection practices are regulated differently by state and for consumers, so check your own rules or ask a lawyer before relying on a figure.